Archives for June, 2011

It might not be the most widely discussed topic at a social gathering, but erectile dysfunction happens to more people than previously thought, with a recent survey showing that the finger of blame could be pointed at gum disease.

Seventy men were interviewed and it was found that there was a correlation between gum disease and those having erectile problems. Simply speaking, the higher the level of gum disease the more frequent their erection problems became apparent.

Of those who were asked, 81% of them had a severe form of gum disease and problems with getting an erection. However, when compared with those who had mild gum disease, fewer had problems with getting an erection. Affecting one in ten men nationwide, erectile dysfunction is more commonly found in those who are aged over forty.

The Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation is Dr. Nigel Carter who urged men with erectile dysfunction to see their dentist as soon as possible and to maintain a good level of dental health.

“To associate gum disease, the major preventable cause of tooth loss in adults, with such a taboo subject amongst males is not something that should be taken lightly…If, in theory, four out of five men who suffer from erectile dysfunction have poor oral health, the effect it could have on their general health poses a serious health risk to those individuals affected” said Dr. Carter.

Erectile dysfunction has previously been blamed on a whole host of reasons such as stress, depression, a lack of self-confidence or a declined in the relationship with a partner or lover. Dr. Carter cannot emphasise the importance of this study enough: “As the findings of this study suggests, looking after your gums and oral health in general can reduce this risk and in turn offer better quality of life.”

Not every State in America is feeling the full effects of the recent economic recession and a number of America Dental Schools have certainly avoided the pinch.

It has been announced that the Dental School in California, Delta Dental Pennsylvania and other affiliated companies have awarded 53 students grants of nearly $200,000. Known as the “2011 Student Leadership Awards”, the grants were presented to seventeen dental schools across ten States, as well as the District of Columbia. Delta Dental first gave out their award in 1977 in memory of Dr. F Gene Dixon who was the first Chief Executive Officer of Delta Dental of California. This is now part of the biggest dental benefits delivery system in America.

The Vice President of Professional Services at Delta Dental is John Yamamoto, DDS, MPH who commented on this: “We’re pleased to be able to recognise the leadership and service of these outstanding dental students and support their impressive achievements.”

Providing dental benefit plans to nearly 25 million people in 15 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, Delta Dental of California, Delta Dental Insurance Company and Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and their affiliates as well as Delta Dental of New York cannot be congratulated enough. They are also part of the Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA), which helps an even greater amount of people, with the overall total coming to 56 million out of the 166 million people across America who now have private dental insurance.

As the world changes at breakneck speed, the way the citizens of the world read information has changed as well. Letters, telegrams and reading the broadsheets are all in decline due to the Internet and popular sites such as Twitter and Facebook, which have transformed the way information is shared.

One dental practice has followed the changing tide and has now altered the way it promotes information about the services it provides. Based in Gilbert, Arizona, Dr. Morteza Zamani has announced that his dental practice will now have a Facebook and Twitter account, which will help give his patients and potential customers the chance to understand more about what he and his staff can provide for them.

Dr. Zamani commented on what he feels is a step in the right direction: “Patients are using the Internet for everything these days, including sharing information and interacting with other patients on social media websites. Building our own social network has allowed our practice to share educational information and communicate with patients more efficiently than we ever have before.”

There are now five hundred million people around the world using Facebook and the potential for Dr. Zamani’s practice cannot be underestimated. Visiting his website, allows patients to follow the link to his Facebook page, where patients both past and present can share their experiences about the services provided for them.

Dr. Zamani also writes a blog, which further enhances his social media exposure. Communication is key in the modern world and questions can be asked thanks to the click of a mouse rather than an appointment being made and shows Dr. Zamani’s eagerness to embrace and please his many clients.

Located at 183 East Baseline Road in Gilbert, Arizona you can find out further information by visiting www.townshipdentalcare.com.

“Friends” was a huge hit across the world and is still televised daily in the UK today seven years after it ended. In her role as Rachel in “Friends”, Jennifer Aniston made many fall in love with her, but is now sharing her less than loving feelings about her dental visits and the unusual way her dentist help her overcome her fear.

Since the end of “Friends”, Jennifer Aniston has gone onto become a huge Hollywood star and her recent role is in the film “Horrible Bosses” finds Aniston in the role of a dentist who bullies her patients. Due for release in the UK on the 22nd July, during a promotional interview Aniston gave for “OK Magazine” she revealed that her dentist has a quirky side when it comes to soothing patients; he plays guitar.

“My dentist plays the guitar for me when I have moulds in my mouth. It’s odd but it’s the truth…. And you can’t get out of the chair so you’re sort of stuck listening to it. Not that it’s not good or anything by the way. Lovely” she said.

According to Aniston, her dentist first started playing the guitar recently, but she has been going to the same dentist for fifteen years: “He literally learned to play the guitar seven years ago and he’s really good!”

Having worked side by side with their patients for over thirty years, dentists from West Chester in Ohio have found a way to further help their local community.

From Brown & Kupper DDS, Lawrence R. Brown and Kim R. Kupper have decided to work alongside Reach Out Lakota, which is a non-profit organisation. Reach Out Lakota aims to help students in their first year of studying with support that will enable them to be fully prepared for the challenges ahead.

The person in charge of setting up Reach Out Lakota, Lorna Wall, commented on the involvement of these two prestigious dentists: “They felt it was time they needed to give back to the community…We have (Lakota) children coming in here and we’re very close with them.”

Last year, Reach Out Lakota assisted over four hundred pupils and aided students by providing them with educational tools that improved their learning experience. It actually first started in 1992 and Sue Cheney of Reach Out Lakota welcomes anybody to lend a helping hand: “Most children are showing up to school with bags of school supplies and I couldn’t even imagine what it’s like to have nothing…We make a specific bag for each child. It’s amazing — I’ve seen kids hug a backpack when they get one.”

This successful dental practice has helped church groups and Cub Scout groups amongst other associations. Sue Cheney said that this is normally a busy time for her as supplies are quickly gathered for the start of the new term: “Parents aren’t shopping for school supplies in July, they’re doing it in early August…It’s a mad dash to the finish.”

Produced by the American College of Prosthodontists, an innovative video has been launched on the web, which provides invaluable advice for those wanting to know more about how to deal with tricky dental situations. Either way, any information about what to do is very welcome indeed especially when many people, including Americans, do not visit their dentist. Whether this is because they have no dental insurance or they are scared of visiting their dentist, this video will come to be very handy when the situation presents itself.

Titled “Kim’s Story”, the video tells how prosthodontic intervention saved the smile of a mother of two from New York after suffering from many years of horrific dental work. The video tells of how Kim was born with a cleft palate which, in turn, resulted in her needing extensive dental work in order to correct this. Turning to the New York-based maxillofacial prosthodontist Lawrence E. Brecht, D.D.S the video also features how his help assisted Kim in achieving her wonderful smile, which she had dreamed of all her life.

With the increasing quality of life for many pensioners around the world, there is also an increase in their life expectancy. In many countries, that average age is set to increase slightly, but for one country this has risen dramatically.

After results released by the U.S Census Bureau, the average age for Americans is now 78.2 years with this predicted to increase to 79.5 years by the year 2020. The baby boomers make up a quarter of the population with an additional three million turning 65 in 2011.

Dr. Sam Muslin, who is a successful dentist based in California and has trademarked Face Lift Dentistry®, says that this increasing ageing population need to have their dental requirements seen to much sooner than they are now. “People are living a lot longer and staying active for more years. Retirement age is no longer set in stone, so our mindset and approach to health care have to change” said Dr. Muslin.

According to an AARP survey cited in the March issue of CNN Money Magazine, those who are turning 65 this year do not wish to retire completely and want to continue their involvement in the labour market.

Dr. Muslin further commented on this predicament: “The dentistry profession must change dramatically, if it wants to stay germane. I challenge my colleagues to evolve with the culture. Seventy-six million people were born between 1946 and 1964, and they’re a lively bunch…Boomers are not going to sit in their rockers and watch their dentures soak after they hit 65! I see them staying socially, politically and economically active, and they’re going to want to look as young and vibrant as they feel.”

With over thirty years of experience in cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Muslin offers his patients anti-ageing dentistry which involves maximising dental health and underlying oral health structure to help make a person look younger and feel better about themselves. Teeth which are yellow in colour are given veneers so their colour is transformed and the same can be said about the straightness of a person’s smile as gaps are filled with implants.

“My middle-years patients have tenacity, and they want their appearances to match their spirited approach to life…They’re embarking on second careers and new relationships. They want to be healthy and have a younger smile” says Dr. Muslin.

He commented further on the services that he can provide at his practice: “Long-term results are important to the consumer…That’s the appeal of the anti-aging protocol. It restores sagging facial features caused by missing teeth or teeth shortened by grinding. The dentition is returned to a pleasing length, filling out sunken parts of the face and correcting the bite. The procedure diminishes wrinkles around the mouth, elongates weak chins and makes lips appear fuller. I’ve seen it take years off faces, giving people confidence to date, pursue promotions and try new things.”

For further information about Dr. Muslin and his dental services, visit his website which is www.cosmeticdentistbeverlyhills.com.

An award has been given to the creator of a toothbrush designed for babies, who business has found many clients over its short 3-year history.

Presented with the accolade “Entrepreneur of the Year 2011”, Dominique Tillen, the mum who founded the company Brush-Baby said her daughter Tilly inspired her to invent the product and start up the company.

The Brush-Baby can be bought in a number of high-street chains such as Waitrose, Mothercare, John Lewis as well as pharmacists and dentists nationwide. It can even be bought in the Middle East, Australia and Europe.

With its original concept of serving the oral health of the youngest members of society, Brush-Baby’s goal is to “improve the oral health of young children”. Its first product was launched in 2009 and was the Brush-Baby Chewable Toothbrush. This device allowed teething babies to not only alleviate their discomfort but also clean their teeth and gums.

After winning her award, Dominique Tillen commented on the result: “I am really pleased to have won this award and my thanks to the retailers and parents who have put their trust in our products and come on this journey with us…Brush-Baby products fill the gap in the market for appropriate child centred products and are becoming increasing relevant today as young children’s oral health becomes a real cause for concern with parents, the dental profession and policy makers alike.”

Unveiling their oral care pathway at The Dentistry Show in 2011 which include DentalWipes and innovative toothbrushes, if you want to find out further information about Brush-Baby you can do so by visiting their website, www.brushbaby.co.uk.

Based in the wonderful Beverly Hills, the dentist Dr. Kevin Sands is no stranger to a famous patient or two and his client list makes for an interesting read. These celebrities return to Dr. Sands due to his dedication to creating beautiful smiles, with results that speak volumes. Dr. Sands now offers his patients the chance to have porcelain veneers, which have the ability to transformed their smiles and help them look a million bucks.

But what are porcelain veneers? Used to correct stained or misaligned teeth, they can reverse harm and transform these once-damaged teeth into healthier looking gnashers. Dr. Sands has also invested his time and effort into training and equipping his practice with the most advanced technology. Porcelain veneers have the potential to return a person’s confidence to the levels they should be and create a beautiful smile.

Dr. Sands can help his many patients achieve that great smile which they have been yearning to have. To find out more information about Dr. Kevin Sands and his Beverly Hilly practice, visit www.bestbeverlyhillsdentist.com where you can see for yourself the many services he can provide for you.

For some dentists, informing their patients about keeping a great level of dental health could involve using horrifying photographs of poor oral hygiene, to disgust them into action. However, for one dental professional a different, gentler approach seems to work just as well.

At Augusta Paediatric Dentistry in Maine, you will find all the usual dental tools and instruments normally associated with a dental practice, but you will also see arcade games, teddy bears, hobby horses and televisions. According to Jonathan Shenkin, the reason for this is simple: “We create an environment that is friendly and hospitable to kids and not as clinical.”

According to the May 2011 report “The State of Children’s Dental Health: Making Coverage Matter”, there is room for improvement, especially when it is claimed that tooth decay is the most common disease in children, which is five times more widespread than asthma. Dr. Shenkin noticed that the children who were passing through his doors were more prone to suffering from tooth decay, so he decided to make a conscious decision about this and, in particular, looked to his own childhood memories when his father took him to a dentist.

“It didn’t go well. There was a lot of kicking and screaming on my part,” said Dr. Shenkin. However, after visiting a paediatrician who was a great deal more caring, he got over his fears and the experience went on to forge his current ideas. He cites tobacco use as a common cause of tooth decay, as well as consuming excessive levels of sugary drinks. He urges parents not to give their children high-in-sugar drinks, as it is this exposure that wears down teeth at this early age.

Understanding the best methods for maintaining your children’s oral health means a better future for their teeth and overall wellbeing.